Delving into office relocation can be an exciting time for everyone. It can also cause angst amongst your staff and create a sense of unease. This is never good for business. Taking the time to create the right kind of company culture after your move can help everyone acclimate to your new space easily, and keeps the work flowing.
The People Side of Moving
As an office manager, your main responsibilities while moving everyone – and everything – are to ensure that the new office space fits your needs. While design is important, there is something even more vital to consider when moving your offices: the people.
Some employees will look at your move as a great adventure. Others will dig in and fight every decision you make. So how can you help your staff make the mental shift from what they are used to, to a new space – and maybe even a new way of doing things?
Engage Your Employees
The most important thing you can do to maintain an encouraging company culture is give your staff an opportunity to offer input on the move. Ask them what they would like to see in the new offices and what they need to succeed there.
Maybe your current space is cramped. Be sure that the new offices are open and airy, offering plenty of space. Or maybe you have some employees who need more privacy. Do your best to incorporate group setting as well as quiet private spaces to work.
Trust your employees to know what works – and doesn’t – then take their suggestions to heart. The more they feel they have a stake in designing the new space, the more invested they will be when it comes time to move.
Start Fresh
Moving your office is a great time to shake things up. It is a fresh start for everyone, so take this opportunity to make some changes. This may mean implementing some new ground rules or offering new employee incentives. Install a coffee bar in the lounge. Give everyone an extra day of vacation this year. Hand out company cell phones. Office relocation can be hard on your employees, so do whatever it takes to make them more comfortable in the new space.
Utilize New Amenities
Look around your new office space. Does the building offer specialty amenities that you never had before? Be sure to use them! If the building houses a gym, don’t just tell everyone about it; schedule a company workout once a week. Maybe your new office features a full kitchen. Bring in a cook every quarter to hold cooking lessons. Or maybe a good majority of your staff will be utilizing public transportation at your new place. Consider hiring a shuttle service to get staffers back and forth to the public transit during peak hours.
Get to Know Your New Neighborhood
If you are moving your office to a brand new area, be sure to help everyone acclimate to the new neighborhood. Invite the entire office out for dinner or drinks at a local establishment or sponsor a day visiting all the local stops. Find ways to help everyone feel a part of the new neighborhood.
Make the Move As Easy As Possible
Ask any employee what they dread most about office relocation and it is usually the extra work they will be required to do to pull it off. Take the burden from your staff by hiring a professional relocation team to come in and pack up and move everything in your office. The easier you make the process for your employees, the less they’re going to fight the change.
Let the professionals at Expert Relocation Systems take the work out of your next office move. Our trained staff knows exactly how to get the job done with minimal interruption to your work week. Call today for a free estimate!